LUX AFRIQUE AT AFRICA FASHION WEEK NIGERIA 2016 #AFWN RECAP

Editor’s Note

Lux Afrique attended this year’s Africa Fashion Week Nigeria as a media partner and we are proud to now bring you our full coverage. We sent two of our bloggers (Tundai Coker/ Beeba Ademowo) to the event, who had full access to the red carpet and the backstage area, to bring you all the news and stories of this year’s event.

AFWN was full of wonderful surprises and a beautiful show of talent by incredible Nigerian designers. Africa Fashion Week Nigeria (AFWN) is a platform created to showcase different Nigerian designers and their unique talent to the world.

There were about 50 Designers who participated in this year’s edition at the just concluded 3-day event held at the famous Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria including the Nigeria’s Next Top Designer Finalists (Daviva). It also featured celebrity Afropop R&B singer Yemi Alade as she launched her new collection ‘HOT” and also A-List Nigerian designers such as Ade Bakare, Yomi Casual, Trish O, Lanre Lagos and many more. The entire event was a thrill from Day 1 to Day 3, and the turnout was magnificent, especially for the Gala Show, which was graced with various dignitaries and Monarchs.

The AFWN 2016 also showcased the designs from “ 21 Next Top Fashion Designer Finalists” which is a platform for discovery opportunities for young, vibrant and innovative Nigerian fashion designers with a driven passion for fashion as well as a chance to showcase their creativity to a wider audience. The project also provides Start –up funds to successful competitors giving them the financial help they need in launching their business.

Only one of the designers emerged the winner, and that was “McStell Fashion Gallery by Okpa McCoy. In a short interview with him, he described his bridal themed collection as being inspired by African nature and is called “Ogidi.” Ogidi is a village in Kogi where the designer visited on an “Ogidi day” festival. He then got inspired with the mountainous serene at the village and the rich green plantation. He decided to make something different for the African bride. The colour themes were Monochrome, Green, and Red. Monochrome he said represented the Mountains. Green represented the Vegetation and Red to represent the Earth tone. He will be going to London for the AFWL 2016 as the winner of the Next Top Fashion Designer.

Another young and beautiful upcoming designer is Samantha from the Tiannah Styling Academy, who said her male outfits were inspired by her dad. Her female collection, on the other hand, was inspired by her love for jumpsuits with a touch of love and Hip Hop.

Neopele Concepts by OkoroNduka Pele is a Bespoke Suit brand all the way from Eastern Nigeria. His Bespoke suits were pretty stylish and elegant looking he said the collection was inspired by his wedding suit, which is a “Chestbasket Suit.” Okoro grew up in a fashion forward home as both his parents are fashion designers, and obviously, his passion for it grew naturally, and he has been in the fashion business for about six years now.

Some designers specialised in accessories and footwear some of which included Coz Designs and Keexs. KEEXS footwear is exciting and the first of its kind from Africa. It is urban, Afrocentric, sporty, innovative and social oriented. The Keexs brand is a unique footwear company run by JideIpaye, which he started as a project on www.kickstarter.comwhere he was able to crowd fund in November 2015 from start to finish and raise about £17, 871. The sneakers are made with Illustrations of the Nigerian Legend “Fela Kuti” giving it that Afro-centric vibe and swag. JideIpaye got his inspiration from his constant need to look for his shoe size “48” which is very rare.

The event organised by the founder Princess Ronke Ademiluyi and the AFWN 2016 team was highly successful and will go a long way to putting Nigerian Fashion on the map. As a proud media Partner, Lux Afrique is looking forward to the London Show in September.

Check out the many designers collections below by clicking on the images